NBA schedules two Game 6s Friday

The NBA updated its playoff schedule on Wednesday night to place two conference semifinal Game 6s on Friday, May 15, after Cleveland and San Antonio extended their series. The league’s official postseason page lists Detroit at Cleveland at 7 p.m. ET and San Antonio at Minnesota at 9:30 p.m. ET, with both games on Prime Video. The update came after the Cavaliers beat the Pistons 117-113 in overtime in Game 5 and after the Spurs took a 3-2 series lead over the Timberwolves with a 126-97 win in Game 5. Oklahoma City, which swept Los Angeles, has already secured a place in the Western Conference finals and is waiting for the winner of Spurs-Timberwolves. ### Which teams are playing Friday, and when? Friday’s first game is Detroit at Cleveland at 7 p.m. ET, according to the NBA’s official playoff schedule. Friday’s second game is San Antonio at Minnesota at 9:30 p.m. ET. The league page says both are Game 6s in the conference semifinals and both are scheduled for Prime Video. ESPN’s schedule page also shows both matchups on Friday, May 15, though its listing had not yet populated the tipoff times in the same way as the NBA page. (nba.com) The NBA’s own playoff page says it is updated as postseason scheduling is officially announced. ### Why is Detroit going back to Cleveland for Game 6? Cleveland forced a sixth game on May 13 by beating Detroit 117-113 in overtime in Game 5. (nba.com) The NBA’s playoff page now shows the Cavaliers leading that Eastern Conference semifinal series 3-2 after Detroit had opened with wins in the first two games. The series results listed by the league show Detroit winning Game 1 and Game 2, followed by Cleveland wins in Games 3, 4 and 5. (nba.com) That sequence moved the matchup back to Rocket Arena on Friday night with the Cavaliers one win from advancing to face New York in the Eastern Conference finals. ### How did San Antonio and Minnesota get to a Friday night Game 6? (nba.com) San Antonio earned its 3-2 edge by beating Minnesota 126-97 in Game 5 on May 12. The NBA schedule page lists the Spurs ahead 3-2 and shows Game 6 shifting to Minnesota on Friday night. The game-by-game results on the league page show Minnesota taking Game 1, San Antonio responding with wins in Games 2 and 3, Minnesota tying the series in Game 4, and the Spurs reclaiming control in Game 5. (nba.com) That leaves Minnesota needing a home win Friday to force a deciding game. ### What does Oklahoma City’s berth change in the West bracket? (nba.com) Oklahoma City has already advanced to the Western Conference finals after a 4-0 series win over Los Angeles. The NBA page lists Thunder victories in Games 1 through 4 and identifies the West final matchup as Oklahoma City against the winner of San Antonio-Minnesota. The league has not yet assigned dates for the Western Conference finals games beyond listing Oklahoma City as the host for Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 if necessary. (nba.com) The bracket on the official playoff page labels those dates as to be determined. ### Is there still room on the schedule for Game 7s? Sunday, May 17, is set aside for both possible Game 7s, according to the NBA playoff schedule. (nba.com) The league page lists Cleveland at Detroit for a potential Game 7 in the East semifinal and Minnesota at San Antonio for a potential Game 7 in the West semifinal. The next fixed date on the broader postseason calendar is June 3, when the NBA Finals are scheduled to begin, the league says. (nba.com) Before that, the Eastern Conference finals will match New York against the Detroit-Cleveland winner, while Oklahoma City will meet either San Antonio or Minnesota in the West.